Aadhaar Now Mandatory for IRCTC Tatkal Bookings from July 1

June 16, 2025

India Railways will make a big change to the way Tatkal tickets are booked starting July 1, 2025. It is now needed that all people who book Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC platform—website, app, PRS booths, or authorised agents—link and verify their Aadhaar number prior to booking.

India Railways is taking this action as part of a larger plan to stop fraud, improve security, and make it easier for real customers to book last-minute tickets.

Aadhaar Now Mandatory for Tatkal Booking

To book Tatkal tickets after July 1, users will need to connect their Aadhaar number to their IRCTC account. This step is being taken to get rid of fake accounts, stop “black marketing,” and make sure that everyone has the same chances to get tickets. Users who don’t have Aadhaar identification won’t be able to make reservations.

In a second phase, starting July 15, an OTP-based Aadhaar verification system will be rolled out. This will apply to:

Passengers will receive an OTP on their Aadhaar-linked mobile number, which must be entered to confirm their identity.

Agent Booking Restrictions During Peak Hours

To further discourage bulk or unfair bookings, IRCTC has imposed time-based restrictions on agent bookings during the Tatkal window:

These 30-minute windows will be reserved exclusively for individual passengers, helping prevent booking monopolies by agents and improving access for the general public.

Why This Change?

Over the past few years, IRCTC has cracked down on abuse and deleted more than 2.4 crore fake accounts. Problems like bot-based orders and ticket selling, on the other hand, still exist. With OTP-based identification and linking to Aadhaar, the Railways hopes to close these holes and make the system fair again.

What Passengers Should Do

To avoid disruptions in booking Tatkal tickets, passengers are advised to act well before the July deadline:

Link Aadhaar to IRCTC Account:
Log into your account, go to the ‘My Account’ section, and complete the Aadhaar authentication using the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number.
Pre-Verify Co-Passengers:
Add frequent co-passengers to the IRCTC “Master List” and authenticate their Aadhaar details in advance. This will speed up the Tatkal booking process.
Update Mobile Number:
Ensure your Aadhaar is linked to a valid and active mobile number to receive OTPs during booking.

Final Thoughts

Verification based on Aadhaar and limits on bookings may seem like extra steps at first, but they are meant to make the booking process safe, clear, and fair. As part of its digital makeover, Indian Railways is making these changes to make things easier for customers and stop people from cheating on their tickets. By getting ready ahead of time, travellers can make sure that booking Tatkal tickets starting July 1 goes smoothly and without any problems.

Disclaimer

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